Reports have emerged that Saudi Arabia is planning to bring in Premier League referees to help grow its league, and some Liverpool fans have come forward with their own recommendations.
“Saudi Arabia plans to bring in top referees from the Premier League and Europe,” the Times reported on Monday (Aug. 28).
The Saudi league, which shook up the world of soccer with the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in December 2022, has been unparalleled in the transfer market this summer, signing a number of players from European leagues and expanding its stake in the world of soccer.
“The Saudis are preparing to bring in top referees from the Premier League and across Europe,” the Times reported. Referees from England and Europe, including those who worked the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, are being investigated to see if they would be willing to move to the kingdom, according to sources. If they do head to Saudi Arabia, it’s likely to be a major concern for the leagues,” said Mr. Khan, noting that Saudi Arabia is preparing to reach out to referees.
“Referees in the Premier League are paid between £120,000 and £300,000 a year, which pales in comparison to what they could be paid in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is expected to recruit referees over the next year or so as the next step in the development of the league.”
If referees head to Saudi Arabia in droves, European leagues could be in for a surprise. Without top-notch referees to officiate the games, the quality of the league’s matches and game management could suffer greatly. The impact of Saudi Arabia’s referee recruitment will not be small, as it will not be possible to suddenly bring a large number of referees from the lower leagues to the top leagues.
In the meantime, Liverpool fans have suggested some of the Premier League’s most notorious referees for the Saudi Arabian roster.메이저사이트
“Liverpool fans were all saying the same thing when it was announced that the Saudi Arabian league was planning to bring in the top referees in the Premier League,” SportsBible reported on Aug. 28.
“Liverpool fans are calling for Anthony Taylor and Paul Tierney to move to the Saudi League,” SportsBible reported.
Anthony Taylor and Paul Tierney are two of the worst referees currently working in the Premier League.
In Taylor’s case, he blew for a late stoppage-time corner in South Korea’s second group game against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It was an unfortunate decision as the team was trailing 2-3. Taylor later made another inexplicable call, sending off Bento after the players and coach Paulo Bento protested. Last season, Tottenham defender Cristian Romero grabbed Marc Cucurella’s head inside the penalty box and got away with it.
At the end of last season, he refereed the UEFA Europa League final between AS Roma and Sevilla, a game in which he consistently made calls that Roma felt were unfair. Roma ultimately lost to Sevilla and finished as runners-up, and Roma coach Jose Mourinho was very critical of Taylor, even going so far as to verbally abuse him in person.
Paul Tierney also has his fair share of notoriety. Tierney has a reputation as a referee who turns a blind eye to harsh fouls, especially in the Premier League. In April, he gave Andy Robertson a warning after Robertson told assistant referee Konstantin Hatzidakis about being hit with an elbow while protesting.
According to reports, Liverpool fans highly recommended Taylor and Tierney to the Saudi league on social media, saying “Taylor and Tierney are the best referees in the Premier League,” “We can take our referees for free,” “Take them for free,” and “They are the best referees in England.”